Jo Rathbone and Simon Harrison seeking Great Northern double

Rathbone will make a return to race riding when she partners Mahanadi in the Great Northern Hurdles and Harrison owns leading Great Northern Steeplechase contender Snodroptwinkletoes.

Both horses are trained by Kevin Myers.

Rathbone, 35, has not ridden over fences since finishing third in the 2014 Grand National Steeplechase on Roodyvoo.

The only other jumps ride she had last year was on Mahanadi, when he finished third in the Wellington Hurdles.

That had been Rathbone's first jumping ride since suffering severe shoulder injuries in a fall from Sea King at Ellerslie in August 2013.

That fall, together with her significant role as an assistant-trainer with the Myers' stable, effectively ended her career as a full-time jumping rider.

However, she has remained willing to step in when a stable runner was without a suitable rider. "I have never said I wasn't going to ride again," she said.

"But I'm not going to take rides away from Mat [Gillies], Shaun [Fannin] and Lisa [Kennedy].

"I enjoy the training and I've still got some injuries that give me a bit of trouble.

"The shoulder's not too bad now but I broke a hip about 10 years ago and I've got arthritis there now. That gives me a bit of trouble."

It also took a long time for the shoulder to come right, with Rathbone suffering muscle and tendon damage, as well as fractures. "It was smashed to pieces."

The last of her three operations was in June, when around 15 screws and a large plate were removed. "I've got no metal there now."

Mahanadi was at $21 in final field betting on Friday but Rathbone expects the horse to race well. "I wouldn't have put my hand up to ride him if I didn't think he was a chance.

"He handles wet tracks, has won over the distance and he's been a bit unlucky recently."

Mahanadi was the runner-up, albeit well beaten behind Wee Biskit, in the Wellington Hurdles in July and not much has gone his way since.

He was brought down in the Sydenham Hurdles, on the first day of the national meeting at Riccarton, and the dead track was against him in the Grand National. In addition, the Sydenham mishap might have dented his confidence.

He contested a maiden steeplechase at Hawera last week and dropped rider Mat Gillies at the last fence, when looking the winner  "Mat seemed to think he would have won," Rathbone said.

Rathbone also gets on well with Mahanadi and has had a win and a placing from two rides on the eight-year-old.

Mahanadi, who races in the Vela colours, has won five on the flat, to go with his three wins over hurdles. He has won the Great Autumn Handicap (2500m) at Riccarton and run fourth in a New Zealand Cup and six of his wins have come on heavy tracks.

The Ellerslie track is expected to be particularly testing today and Mahanadi's stamina should bring him him into contention.

"But Wee Biskit and [Mahanadi's stablemate] Gagarin ran first and second last year, in tough conditions and they should be hard to beat again," Rathbone said.

Wee Biskit was a $3.50 favourite yesterday, with Gagarin at $12. Gagarin has had three wins and three seconds from 10 starts over fences and won the 2015 Hawke's Bay Hurdles.

Snodroptwinkletoes was a $5 third favourite for the $125,000 steeplechase but Rathbone is happy for Isaac Lupton to have the mount. "I think I would be too nervous to ride him anyway.

"He goes well for Isaac and it would be bit more of an ask to go over 6400m at my first ride for a while. I ride a lot of work but you have to be pretty tough and fit to keep riding a horse out at the end of the Northern."

In addition, Lupton, who also rides Wee Biskit, has a remarkable record in the Northern Steeplechase.

When his mount Upper Cut fell last year, when in contention, it was the first time Lupton had finished further back than third in eight attempts.

Lupton has won the race on Hypnotize (three times) and Rangatira, had two placings on Hypnotize and a third on Bart.

Lupton could also win two Northerns on Wee Biskit, from his only rides on the horse.

He replaced an injured Matt Cropp last year and it has been a similar situation this year, after Cropp was injured at Hawera.

One significant factor in favour of Snodroptwinkletoes is that he is on the minimum and will get 5kg from topweight and favourite Amanood Lad.

Harrison has already had a good winter as both he and Rathbone are part-owners of National Hurdles winner Tallyho Twinkletoe, who is spelling.